The Situation

QuietFlex Manufacturing had a problem. Production and self-confidence needed to be enhanced, and one sector was in conflict between themselves and with the business managment. Meetings were disintegrating into arguments over emotional issues, rather than yielding constructive discussions toward solving production problems and improving the workplace. Personnel were more inclined to present vague complaints to management, making resolution not easy, albeit CEO Dan Daniel’s main concern was to generate a successful work environment. These miscommunications were the basis for many employees in one section to lose confidence in the company’s management.  

The Task

Mr. Daniel sought to assist the QuietFlex Manufacturing workforce be contented, challenged in their jobs, and believe in their sense of importance relative to the company’s general accomplishment. He required an approach to “shift the focus from emotional issues to factual issues that I could do something about,” and look forward to “increase the production rate and decrease the amount of physical labor so our employees felt that the job had more value.” QuietFlex Manufacturing needed to move quickly to continue competitive production, and make plans to avoid a recurrence of the situation. Mr. Daniel wanted to bring everyone together around a set of common goals, reduce stress and physical labor, and find new ways to solve problems into the future.

Mr. Daniel had attended a Caridas Consulting International (business consultant) workshop about using Participative Management Design to build individual involvement in company success, “It was a good seminar for strategic executives, but I initially questioned how well it would work on the plant floor.” He contacted CCI to tailor a program for QuietFlex. Mr. Daniel sought an approach in which all stakeholders could win. He appreciated the abilities and skillset of his people and sought to encourage those characteristics to build internal capability. He knew CCI specialized in improving performance and productivity through people. The assignment was to increase the capacity and value of production, boost morale, and advance effective communications to handle problems successfully in the future.

Implementation

Mr. Daniel was eager for solutions that would work for everyone at QuietFlex Manufacturing. He had been intrigued by CCI’s participative management strategies, and knew that such an approach made sense for his company. The best solutions arise from the daily needs of work, and the best-informed people are those who are doing the work. Participative Design calls for change in the location of responsibility, so the people doing the work initiate the changes. People are encouraged to be self-managing, though not autonomous. Managers provide redesign guidelines, so that everyone contributes to the process and develops reasonable expectations for change. Mr. Daniel was eager to see how Participative Management could both address the employees’ needs and improve the bottom line at QuietFlex Manufacturing.

The company’s opening Participative Design sessions required two days for each shift. Caridas Consulting helped participants define and evaluate their current work process and make suggestions for improvement. Certain features of the production process were not flexible; Caridas Consulting got the group to focus positively on what could be changed. in the beginning, Participative Management Redesign sessions were easier said than done since administration and workers were not persuaded there would be any true change. As they saw their suggestions being implemented, people began to improve their productivity and commitment to the company, as well as their own expectations and morale. Plans created within this collaborative framework earned the commitment of everyone on board. People were eager to implement the plans of their own making. They became innovative problem-solvers, and as issues arose, they found the initiative to create solutions. Caridas Consulting carries out Participative Management follow-up meetings with each department every 6 months.

CCI recognized that positive business results could not be sustained and company-wide improvements would not be complete without guaranteeing their successful delivery. QuietFlex management understood that it was necessary to mend employee relationships without delay. Enhanced communication and conflict resolution skills have made the workplace conducive to the introduction and execution of new ideas. Now QuietFlex keeps employee relations strong by helping managers be quality communicators. Caridas Consulting business consultants helped managers develop:

• basic communication skills, with an emphasis on genuineness, positive regard, and empathy
• conflict prevention and resolution skills

Immediate feedback from top managers shows these skills gives them a sense of interdependent control and improves their relations with employees. The managers are eager to further develop their communication skills and build on their initial accomplishments.

After a Successful Intervention

Mr. Daniel informs the conditions at QuietFlex has considerably improved. Workers in one department have been able to increase production from 2500 lbs per hour to 4000 lbs, and continue to progress. In the meantime, scrap and reject have been reduced dramatically. Safety has significantly improved, ever since the work redesign. People’s ability to participate has greatly improved the speed and quality of production. Mr. Daniel says the workers at all echelon of QuietFlex are satisfied with the outcome. There are “more pounds being pushed out the door, and we redesigned the pay structure so there are incentives to reduce scrap and waste further, and improve product quality. Employee earnings are already up by 30%. Our employees can produce more and not be as tired.” The business results have been decisive and continue to improve.

By including Participative Management methods at QuietFlex Manufacturing, workers have been given a part in resolving potential company challenges. Participative Management Design has “given the managers a way to deal with specific issues. Currently they recognize to invite employees to truly clarify the dilemma and what they consider the resolution should be.” Mr. Daniel is pleased CCI helped QuietFlex both increase quality production and communicate with their workers. “I ask everyone to bring me solutions with their problems,” he says.

Caridas Consulting also worked in the most troublesome area of the plant. He “threw Caridas Consulting into the lion’s den,” by requesting them to facilitate a faction of employees so discontented, and extremely distant from administration, where they had invited the union to intervene on their behalf. Similar to the glass plant, CCI facilitated the duct workers to create comprehensive outline of the work flow and identify their challenges. The workers proposed a set of solutions, and the management responded by detailing the changes they were willing to make, and setting a timetable for implementation. Now that most of the changes have been implemented, productivity is up over 30%; because compensation is tied to productivity, morale and pay for this group has also improved substantially. Caridas Consulting opened the lines of communication between these workers and management, resolving the immediate issues and setting up a framework for future problem-solving.

Mr. Daniel is now a believer; the results at QuietFlex prove that Participative Management Design is a flexible and comprehensive model that can be used across industries and at all levels. The workers at QuietFlex have raised the quality and rate of production, and greater productivity means higher wages. They have learned to innovate solutions. Participative Management Design has helped all the people at QuietFlex Manufacturing reach their individual and common goals, and provided them with a framework for continued success.

 Caridas Consulting International (management consultant-business)

Need A Profit Breakthrough? The Best Management Performance Strategies For 2010 ! is a post from: The Business Communication Blog

Technorati Tags: leadership, Management, management consultant-business, manufacturing, participative management strategies, productivity, strategic planning

Adventist needed to start with straightforward, concrete steps that all 5,000 employees, spread over multiple facilities including hospitals, outpatient and support locations, could talk about and achieve.

The greatest objective was to shift the patient’s opinion of the level of care they were receiving.  The organization had always been dedicated to providing great medical care, but it often happened that the staff’s focus on the task at hand caused the impression they were in a hurry and non-communicative to those they encountered during the day.  This often resulted in patients perceiving that the quality of care they received was substandard, although this was not the case. 

To gain the trust of patients and their family members, Adventist realized it needed to be a friendlier place, one that demonstrated respectful communication to all patients, family members, and staff.  And, while some organizations may have attempted to change the culture with a vague mandate such as “be friendly,” Adventist realized it needed to break the concept down into simple concrete actions. 

With the help of consultants from the Studer Group, Adventist leaders implemented the 10/5 Rule. Employees were directed to give direct eye contact to any staff member, patient or vendor they encountered within ten feet of them, and to greet them if within five feet.  

The result was a benchmark everyone shared and a name to identify it by. Staff could monitor co-worker’s adherence to the rule and would call them on it if they didn’t.  Most agreed they didn’t like to be corrected by a co-worker for failing to greet someone in passing, but acknowledged that the process resulted in a friendlier environment for staff and patients alike.

Adventist’s culture has changed significantly since the implementation of the 10/5 Rule. Within a month of implementing the rule, patients began to remark that “something is different around here,” and employees starting saying, “this feels like a better place to work.

Lessons Learned

Several important issues regarding change and influence are illustrated through the 10/5 rule. 

1.    Make change concrete.

The book Influencer explained that leaders who were able to make their change efforts successful identified crucial behaviors. These behaviors are the initial key actions that the members of the organization must achieve in order to lead to other changes. At Adventist, the first vital behavior was to look up and acknowledge other people. While this one action didn’t change the culture, it did create a cascade of other changes.

2.    “Sticky” messages are effective.

Chip and Dan Heath explain in their book Made to Stick that in order for an idea to spread, it has to be “sticky” so that those hearing it will understand it and then be able to pass the word about it.  Adventist discovered a sticky message in their 10/5 rule – it was concrete, creative, and easy to remember.

3.    Make it a priority for all members of the organization to share accountability.

Finally, the accountability factor was critical to the successful outcome of Adventist’s campaign.  As we discussed, employees across the system were encouraged to remind each other of the 10/5 rule. This involved the entire staff in the success of the campaign. 

Organizational culture is difficult to define because it is so abstract. Adventist’s experience teaches us that by changing specific, concrete behaviors, the culture of the organization will most likely also change as a result.  

Vinnie Garufi is the Director of Organization and Leadership Development for Adventist Midwest Health.  Wendy Mack is a advisor, keynoter, and change catalyst who specializes in leading and communicating change.  For more information on mobilizing energy for change, visit www.WendyMack.com. 

You Aren’t Stuck With Your Company’s Culture: Concrete Strategies For Change is a post from: The Business Communication Blog

Technorati Tags: change management, company culture, leadership, Management, motivating employees, senior management, team leading, workplace change

Duration : 0:5:47

ADM2381: Business Presentation Challenge – Winners Announcement is a post from: The Business Communication Blog

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Stephanie’s presentation concerns offering online services for the University of Ottawa’s Telfer School of Management, and is titled “Online Telfer School of Management”.

Duration : 0:5:58

ADM2381: Business Presentation Challenge – Stephanie Lui is a post from: The Business Communication Blog

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Duration : 0:3:2

(Business Leadership) is a post from: The Business Communication Blog

Technorati Tags: "change, Building, Business, contingency, glblmrkts, leadership, Management, planning, risk, Tags, Team

Documented here are the main advantages, considerations and the possible risks to conducting employee satisfaction surveys online.

 

Advantages

Identify Problems – Surveys are can be very effective in identify problems areas before they become serious, especially those that are hidden from senior management.

Working Environment – From something small like a broken chair to the more serious problem of sick building syndrome that can result in personnel experiencing headaches; eye, nose, and throat irritation; a dry cough; dry or itchy skin; dizziness and nausea; and difficulty in concentrating. Surveys that focus on the environmental aspects of an organization will ensure that areas of concern are identified in a manner that can be properly measured and controlled.

Remuneration & Benefits – Measure and monitor how satisfied personnel are with their remuneration and benefits.

Mood and Moral – Provides a simple but effective method to measure and monitor the mood and moral of an organization.

Benchmark – In the same way that an organization will consider their financial position by comparison with previous years, so the regular use of online surveys will allow an organization to monitor and measure their progress and development in non-financial terms.

Processes & Procedures – As businesses evolve some of the traditional processes and procedures can become antiquated, personnel are often the first to know and the last to be asked. New technology is often a driver that will cause a business to evolve and the business processes need to be constantly challenged to ensure that they are properly aligned with the technology.

Training – Lack of proper training is a common cause of dissatisfaction among employees and can lead to more serious problems such as stress.

Communication – For an organization to run efficiently good internal and external communications are essential, surveys can provide a method to help organizations to monitor and measure how well an organization communicates.

Goals and Objectives – Surveys can measure and monitor the extent that the personnel are aligned with the senior management’s business goals and objectives.

Cost Effective – Using survey questionnaire software surveys are quick and easy to create, simple to deploy and will provide real-time results.

Compliance – To properly comply with an ever increasing array of regulations the modern organization needs to be able to disseminate information throughout the organization and ensure, through records, that the information has been received, and importantly, understood. Online questionnaires can offer an organization a cost effective method to meet many of their obligations.

Keeping the Initiative – It is always better for management to ask than be told. Management are able to retain the initiative by conducting periodic employee satisfaction surveys and identifying early problems that could otherwise transform into demands.

 

Considerations

Management Backing – A survey that is both sanctioned and has the support of senior management will go some way in ensuring that any action required, based on the survey findings, will be implemented.

Ask the right questions – Consider careful the questions being asked. If the survey is perceived by employees of just trying to tick the right boxes the survey could result in more negative attitudes.

An annual survey should ask questions that will provide senior management with an overall temperature check of the organization.

Only ask questions that will apply to all departments and personnel. Consider running separate one-off surveys that can be targeted at specific personnel if some areas of the organization require detailed investigation.

Incentive – Most employees will feel that by being able to give their opinions that they are already stakeholders in the exercise and will be happy to participate in the survey as they will expect to benefit from the process.

However, some incentive may help improve the overall response rate or could be used to encourage early participation.

Either all participating employees could be awarded a small incentive or entered into a prize draw for a much bigger prize.

Anonymous – The decision to allow respondents to remain anonymous or not needs careful consideration. A survey that is conducted anonymously may allow employees to be more candid, however, anonymity may encourage some individuals to make wild accusations that can not be substantiated and cause considerable concern. When in doubt it is often better to keep everything ‘on the record’ rather than ‘off’.

Where survey respondents are known there is the opportunity to chase for surveys that have not been completed and also to follow up on some issues directly with those employees who have raised them as problems.

Comments – Keep free text comments to a minimum because they are difficult and time consuming to measure and analyze.

Limit the number of questions that allow for free text responses, usually one that asks for general comments at the end of the survey is sufficient and effective; where surveys are not anonymous, consider conducting further surveys to follow-up where the earlier survey identifies areas where additional and more specific information is required.

 

Risks

Management – Some managers can regard any form of employee consultation as a sign of weakness and may have a tendency to dismiss out of hand any negative comment.

Warts and All – A survey is likely to reveal warts and all. Surveys may reveal that the senior management’s top down view differs considerably from the employees’ bottom up view and that once problems have been exposed senior management would not be able to claim ignorance and would have to act.

Non-Action – Many employees will invest time and effort in participating in a survey and their hopes and expectations will be raised. If nothing is done post survey to address the issues that have been raised by the survey then employees may develop a cynical attitude and make it more difficult to obtain employee feedback in future.

Management should be prepared to formally recognize and respond to any issue that is raised as a result of conducting a survey even if the demands of employees are not to be met. If the senior managers have previously agreed to address and resolve some issues then that action should have at least been started before any further surveys are scheduled.

Can Cause Problems – Where surveys reveal, or bring problems, to the surface there could be a tendency for senior management to blame the messenger.

 

Summary

There are considerable benefits in conducting regular online employee satisfaction questionnaires, but for them to be effective important considerations need to be made upfront. Employees can find responding to surveys therapeutic but it is the post-survey analysis and the management’s response and action that will ultimately determine how useful and effective the process has been.

For a sample employee satisfaction survey: Employee Satisfaction Poll

Monitoring Employee Satisfaction – The Advantages, Considerations and Risks is a post from: The Business Communication Blog

Technorati Tags: "employee, appraisal, employee satisfaction survey, employee survey, employer, feedback, human resources, Management, Online survey, personnel, questionnaires

And so it goes on.

These are the sort of thoughts that start to go through the minds of individuals when an organization loses touch with their personnel; the chair that is broken, no feeling of appreciation, blaming ‘management’ and for some even questioning the futility of what they are doing. Trivial problems fester and a suspicious and unhelpful frame of mind develops. Can you be sure that this isn’t the sort of thing that is going on right now in your organisation?

What should be social events held outside the office become no more than a forum for complaints and negativity grows among people who feel unable to effect change. Dissatisfaction will often synthesise into a demand for an increase in remuneration, as though like a cheap fix more money will momentarily lessen the pain.

If ignored by management the concerns of this employee will inevitable find empathy with their colleagues own individual concerns, where the only common demand might well be a demand for an increase in remuneration, more paid holidays and a reduction in working hours, all of which will not fix the broken chair, ensure that new personnel are in future properly introduced, trained and managed nor help management identify areas of inefficiency.

Organisations have a habit of pigeon holing people, physically through offices, cubicles or workstations and also in terms of responsibility. It can prove productive if there is effective and strong management in place to support this structure, but over time weak or inappropriate management can infiltrates the management chain and if it does it can be expected that cracks will start to appear.

From the top down all can appear rosy in the corporate garden as the weak and inappropriate manager reports that all is well in the engine room, oblivious to the fact that their coal stocks might be dwindling.

A very skewed view can be the result of relying on a limited number of indicators, just as a one eyed person finds judging distance difficult. By establishing procedures that sample the mood from different perspectives throughout the organisation good management will be able to form a rounded picture.

There are both direct and indirect benefits of establishing good, frequent and extensive communication channels.

Greater respect will be given to a senior management team that is known to have their ear to the ground and where they keep the middle management honest by knowing that middle managers can no longer shrug away the senior manager’s searching inquiry “How is everything going?” question with a non-committal “Fine”; It is my experience that if someone replies with “fine” you need to dig deeper and ask if they really know what is going on.

Most principals of organisation will not have the luxury of spending time walking the floor and discussing the issues of individuals but through online employee surveys they can achieve the same benefits.

Online surveys provide an ideal method to establish good and effective communications between the employer and employee. Using a survey hosting service they can now be created and published with ease and speed.

Surveys can be deployed in seconds by utilising the Internet and intranet, they can be completed easily by employees and the results analyzed in real-time exposing the ‘problems’ and giving early warning towards common themes of dissatisfaction.

Online employee satisfaction surveys have the ability to get to the heart of an organisation, confirm not only that the engine room is working but that there is sufficient coal in the bunker.

The benefits that online surveys bring are considerable, not only are the real issues identified, but employees feel that their voices are being heard and that their views, right or wrong, have a forum.

Online surveys will not in themselves resolve a problem but what they will do is give senior management the opportunity to address the problems and concerns of their employees, if people then leave the organisation they will at least hopefully be doing it for the right and not wrong reasons.

The grass will always appear greener on the other side but the underlying reasons for good people leaving an organisation are rarely purely monetary (although it is often cited as the reason) and more often to do with one or more of the following:-

• the workplace environment;
• a lack of fulfilment;
• insufficient training and feedback;
• lack of a career path;
• over work;
• lack of trust and respect with their senior managers.

A well planned employer/employee communications programme that can identify the individual and common concerns of employees will give senior management the opportunity to address root problems and not just the symptoms of employee dissatisfaction, allowing them to demonstrate to their employees that they are not viewed simply as interchangeable parts that can be used for any job at hand.

Employee surveys need to be customised so they are relevant for each individual organisation. I invite you to put yourself in the place of an employee and complete the short sample employee satisfaction survey, then view the results of the satisfaction survey and just think of the benefits to management being able to measure so easily the heart beat of the organization.

 

Promoting Employee Satisfaction is a post from: The Business Communication Blog

Technorati Tags: "employee, appraisal, employee satisfaction survey, employee survey, employer, feedback, human resources, Management, Online survey, personnel, questionnaires

Duration : 0:3:20

Leadership and motivation at work. Motivational speech. Leadership skills, styles and team development. Motivational video: conference keynote speaker Patrick Dixon is a post from: The Business Communication Blog

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Duration : 0:9:28

MAD Conference 2008 : Haridimos Tsoukas – part 1/6 is a post from: The Business Communication Blog

Technorati Tags: Business, Communication, Haridimos, HEC, Management, Montreal, ontologie, ontology, organisation, organization, organizing, Tsoukas, Université

Duration : 0:9:29

MAD Conference 2008 : Haridimos Tsoukas – part 5/6 is a post from: The Business Communication Blog

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